This invention relates to an automatic atmosphere conditioner which is capable of adjusting the atmospheric condition in a room. This invention discloses a method and a device to generate and control indoor atmosphere. The so-called atmosphere is not only the weather phenomenon or the air condition, but, more particularly, the environment of physiological and psychological states for the human. For example, we say, "the business negotiation goes under a harmonious atmosphere."
It is generally known that the human body is easily affected by various environments and generates various emotions in response to the environments. People can be in high spirits, or absent-minded or relaxed in response to environmental factors (characteristics) such as temperature (air temperature, wall temperature), humidity, air pressure, wind (air flow) speed, oxygen content, carbon-dioxide content, static electrical ion, sound, odor, light, magnetic field, etc. In consequence, those factors can be regulated to a specified status to make people concentrate on study, work or feel relaxed, drowsy, etc.
The human body, which can be considered as a heat producer is usually exposed to an environment in which the temperature is lower than that of the body, and dissipates heat by continuous radiation, conduction, convection, breath and sweat. When the temperature difference between body and environment is large and the heat generation rate of the body is lower than its heat dissipation rate, people will feel cold; when the temperature difference between the body and its environment reaches a certain degree where the heat generation rate and the heat dissipation rate are in balance, people will feel comfortable; and when temperature difference mentioned is small or the temperature of the environment is higher than that of the body, people will feel irritable because the dissipated heat is not exhausted quickly enough. When people feel cold, the skin pores will naturally shrink to reduce sweat and lower the heat dissipation rate; on the other hand, intense exercise increases body heat, which can be dissipated by profuse sweat; that is, the human body has a self-modulated function of dissipating heat rate to sustain the body temperature. However, in order to easily modulate body heat rate and make people feel comfortable, appropriate air humidity and temperature are two of the most important factors. The indoor wall temperature (includes the temperature of all side walls, the ceiling and the floor) also has an influence, however, since the wall temperature will not be adjusted quickly, it will not be herein considered as a controlled factor of this invention to affect the thermal balance of body. What human the body feels is the so called effective temperature is referred to the dry bulb temperature with 100% relative humidity in still air. With a certain relation between humidity and temperature, people will feel the same effective temperature. For example, with an effective temperature 22.degree. C., the dry bulb temperature of may vary increasingly from 23.6.degree. C. to 26.6.degree. C. if the relative humidity varies decreasingly from 70% to 30% (as shown in the appended FIG. 4-a). The relation of temperature and humidity, which can be controlled to provide a constant heat dissipation rate for the human body to obtain a thermal balance condition, can be explored to generate a favorable regulating response by stimulating skin or other sensory organs (such as shrinkage of skin pores, tension or relaxation of skin) and inspire spirits.
In the past, when people feel sleepy due to environment or excessive fatigue, the ways to keep awake are to wash the face with cold water, stimulate the skin mechanically or get up to exercise. However, these often fail to provide the desired effect due to laziness which is the human nature, short lasting or unavailable conditions.
Furthermore, a traditional air conditioning system is at most able to control temperature or humidity to a certain preset reading (the real control result is the controlled variables that varies slightly around the desired value.) Because of this, the human body will constantly dissipate heat by almost fixedly expanded skin pores (sweat gland). People will feel numb or drowsy as the skin pores keep the same expansion for a long time; and once they leave the controlled environment, to become subject to outdoors' quite different temperature and humidity, they are easily attacked by heat-stroke or catch a cold.
Air pressure and air content also have a great effect on the human body. When the pressure drops or the oxygen content lessens, people will feel sick because of difficulty in breathing. On the other hand, if oxygen is in adequate supply or the indoor pressure is increased adequately, people will breathe smoothly, keep alert and improve their working efficiency. The concentration of carbon dioxide in the natural world is 0.03%.about.0.05%. If the indoor carbon dioxide concentration is up to 0.2%.about.0.5%, people will feel bored and drowsy; if the concentration exceeds 0.5%, it will cause physiological malfunctions or even lead to death. The conventional air conditioner can not control air pressure or air content. The air exchange design of a conventional air conditioner only opens a valve between the indoor and outdoor environments and can not control the amount and direction of incoming or outgoing air. Therefore, it can not effectively expel the dirty indoor air or induce clean and fresh outdoor air.
Air flow speed also affects the environment. When it is like a gentle breeze, people will feel cozy (comfortable) and drowsy; when it becomes a gusty wind, people will feel nervous and uneasy because it seems that an imminent catastrophe is just ahead.
The human skin not only perceives cold/hot feeling and sense of touch, the body hairs can also be made to stand on end. People may shudder with fear (fright) or feel excitement when the hair is affected by a static electric field or attachment of ions. Besides, a magnetic field may affect a human's body or spirit, but the effect has not been fully understood yet.
The odor also affects one's mood; for example, an offensive smell may cause nausea. People in an environment which simulates a garden or forest will feel pleasant and refreshed.
Noise may also bother one's feelings. For example, soft music makes people feel leisurely, classic music makes people feel elegant, and rock and roll make people eager to dance. Apparently, sound and music affect people's mood quite a bit.
Moreover, indoor light may also affect people's physiological reaction; such as obscure light makes people feel drowsy; soft light and color make people feel romantic; bright light and color make people feel sober; and abundant light makes people concentrate on work or study.
However, there is no atmosphere control system in the present market that can wholly modulate/control the above mentioned atmospheric factors. The indoor environment consequently can not be adjusted to meet the users' respective requirements.